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Live updates: Seaside boardwalk fire

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A horrific blaze started around 2:30 p.m. Thursday around noon at Kohr's Ice Cream near the boardwalk. The fire wasn't far from where Hurricane Sandy devastated the Seaside Heights boardwalk last fall.
(Michael Monday/The Star-Ledger)

SEASIDE PARK — A massive fire started about 2:05 p.m. today at the historic Kohr's Ice Cream shop near the boardwalk and raged out of control within 15 minutes. The blaze wasn't far from where Hurricane Sandy devastated the Seaside Heights boardwalk last fall. With evacuations ordered on the surrounding blocks, the blaze tore through more than two dozen buildings in a four-block area.

Here are the latest updates:

11 p.m.: BLAZE CONTAINED — The massive boardwalk fire appears to be contained, with very little smoke or flames visible as of late tonight. (Note: Unless there are any major developments, we will not be posting additional updates here tonight. Please check back Friday morning on NJ.com for any new developments.)

9:35 p.m.: 40 TO 50 BUSINESSES DESTROYED — Seaside Heights emergency management coordinator William Hibell said 40 to 50 businesses were destroyed by the massive boardwalk fire, which is currently being contained by the trench built at Lincoln Avenue. The fire has engulfed roughly four blocks. Firefighters tried to stop the inferno with a trench on Dupont Avenue, but the flames jumped over it, officials said.

9:15 p.m.: FIRE UNDER CONTROL — The massive fire that has destroyed a large part of the boardwalk in Seaside Park and a section of Seaside Heights is now under control, Seaside Heights emergency management coordinator William Hibell said.

9:10 p.m.: FIREFIGHTERS INJURED — At least one firefighter has been hospitalized for complications related to smoke inhalation battling the massive boardwalk blaze in Seaside Park, officials said, and several were treated for heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation. Roughly 500 firefighters are currently on the scene, according to Seaside Heights Police Chief Thomas Boyd, who said the rapid spread of the fire was the result of high winds and the flammable tar roofs of several buildings along the boardwalk. "If you can't control the wind you're not going to be able to control the fire," Boyd said.

8:20 p.m.: WINDS CHANGING DIRECTION — Winds in Seaside have shifted in the last hour from the southeast to the southwest, but remain strong, according to data from the state climatologist’s office. Unfortunately, a line of storms has largely broken up in the vicinity and the area may not get much rain until later in the evening.

The remnants of the storms could still kick up winds as they pass over the area in the coming hour. “That’s something emergency personnel need to be watchful for,” according to Gary Szatkowski, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service. After midnight, however, winds are expected to shift to a more northwesterly flow – the opposite direction of what fanned the flames earlier – which could help firefighting efforts.

“If this fire for some reason continues through the night, that’s going to be something they have to contend with,” Szatkowski said. “But as they push the fire back, it could help steer it toward areas that are already burned.”

8:07 p.m.: MORE BUSINESSES HIT BY FIRE — The massive fire along the boardwalk is now affecting 32 business, according to News12 New Jersey.

7:56 p.m.: 'ALL OF MY FRIENDS LOST THEIR BUSINESSES' — Standing outside of the Surfside Motel, Frank Boukili couldn’t believe what he was witnessing. He watched as an acrid smoke crept northward from an indistinct point to his south. Quickly, the fire spread north, engulfing everything in its path with reckless abandon.

“It just got worse and worse,” Boukili said. “The embers were blowing four to five blocks and it kept spreading and spreading.” He described the sight as overwhelming, particularly for an area still trying to get back on its feet after Hurricane Sandy. “All of my friends lost their businesses,” in the fire, he said. “I hope the governor does something to help us because we’re still damaged and hurting from Sandy.”

7:56 p.m.: ACHIEVEMENT IN FLAMES — Leonardo Graci said he watched part of his greatest achievement burn to the ground tonight. A carpenter, Graci has been coming to Seaside his entire life. After Hurricane Sandy, he spent months reconstructing sections of the boardwalk destroyed by the storm. “I just got done rebuilding this and I can’t believe it,” he said, while standing on the north end of Franklin Avenue. “I’m in shock. This was my proudest moment as a carpenter.”

7:40 p.m.: FORCED TO FLEE— Business owner Timothy Hussey said he tried to put the initial fire out after he smelled smoke this afternoon, but was quickly overwhelmed by the now multi-alarm inferno and forced to flee for safety.

7:20 p.m.:BUSINESS OWNERS WORRY — Nearly 11 months ago, Angela VanArtsdalen watched her business get washed away by Hurricane Sandy. Tonight, she is worried she will watch it burn.

7:19 p.m.: WHERE DID THE FIRE START? — Christine Pallas, of Matawan, was taking photographs of Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts in Seaside Park when she became witness to the start of one of the largest and most devastating New Jersey fires in recent memory. he noticed a fire had started on the boardwalk, which quickly spread to nearby Kohr’s.

7:16 p.m. GOV. CHRISTIE SAYS STAY AWAY — "Firefighters from across state are fighting ... Do not come here. Stay away. We need to have easy access to the boardwalk."

7:12 p.m. HELP ON THE WAY — Monmouth County has dispatched a task force and large diameter hose pipeline to the scene, according to Fire Marshal Hank Striker

7:03 p.m.: ROUTE 37 BRIDGE CLOSED — Around 5:30 p.m., prosecutor's office spokesman Al Della Fave said the Route 37 bridge is closed eastbound to anyone who is not a resident of the barrier islands or a first responder

7:05 p.m.: LIVE VIDEO FEED OF GOV. CHRISTIE'S PRESS BRIEFING

(Note: The press briefing is now over, so the video feed is no longer available)

7:02 p.m.: OTHER JERSEY BOARDWALK FIRES — New Jersey’s famed boardwalks, when not under assault by storms like Sandy, have long been vulnerable to fire. Over the years, more than a dozen boardwalk fires have destroyed businesses and amusements up and down the Jersey Shore, including a part of the area destroyed today in Seaside Park.

6:57 p.m.: A BOON FOR FIREFIGHTING — Via The Star-Ledger's Stephen Sterling, "The National Weather Service says if Seaside blaze burns into night, winds are expected to shift from the southeast to the northwest. Could be a boon to firefighting."

6:50 p.m.: 'I'M GLAD I'M NOT THERE' — David X Scott, the wheel operator at the Coin Castle arcade in Seaside Heights, left the area around 4 p.m., after owner Wayne Cimorelli decided to close. Thick black smoke filled the streets as he left, he said. “I’m glad I’m not there,” Scott said, adding that he’s been watching television footage all evening. “They’re calling for rain by 8 o'clock, but there may not be anything there.”

6:48 p.m.: BLAZE LOCATION — The length of the fire is from Porter to Lincoln Avenues, according to Al Della Fave, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office spokesman. Fire companies have established a line at Lincoln Avenue where they are trying to stop the fire from advancing further, he said.

6:30 p.m.: FIRE SPREADS TO 3 BLOCKS — Toms River Police Chief Michael Mastronardy said the fire has spread about three blocks and crossed into Seaside Heights now, and that while fire officials have knocked down some of the blaze they are also trying to conserve water at some of the hotter spots.

6:25 p.m.: CHRISTIE AT SCENE — A very somber looking Gov. Chris Chirstie got out of his car and went into the Ocean County Department of Law and Public Safety's Mobile Command Center where he was updated on the blaze. Christie will be holding a media briefing at 7 p.m. with local officials.

6:15 p.m.: ALL-CALL FIRE — People keep asking Ocean County Prosecutor Al Della Fave how many alarms this massive fire is. It's an "all-call fire," he said, which means any fire companies from the 33 municipalities in Ocean County. Monmouth and Burlington counties would stand by as mutual aid.